Two color guards, an American flag that flew over Tikrit, Iraq, and a possible flyover by Huey helicopters are in the works.
When the wall came to Temple in December 2000, Greg Hartigan, VFW special projects chairman, gave about 280 el grande coffee mugs to volunteers who helped with the wall. This year he has 500 mugs.
About 40 volunteers will set the wall up from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. Additional volunteers will assist visitors at the wall, which will be open around the clock for four days. Hartigan said he needs about 200 people.
The opening ceremony is 10 a.m. Thursday, the closing ceremony is 6 p.m. Sunday, and people may view the wall from Wednesday afternoon until Monday morning.
At the opening ceremony, Temple Fire and Rescue color guard will present a flag that flew over Forward Operating Base Spiker at Tikrit. The flag was donated by Maj. Thomas Dietrich, who has gone back to Iraq.
“We are at war again,” Hartigan said. “This may be the grounds for people to pay their respects to the American serviceman and servicewoman.”
